ComEd Approved to Build One of First Microgrid Clusters in the Nation

U.S. Dept. of Energy funding for microgrid project helps support
learnings, test resiliency

February 28, 2018 02:57 PM Eastern Standard Time

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) today approved ComEd’s plan to
construct one of the first utility-scale microgrid clusters in the
nation in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. The
project, which has received more than $5 million in grant funding from
the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), will enable the study of how
microgrids support the integration of clean energy onto the grid and
increase grid security to keep power flowing even during extreme weather
or a catastrophic event.

A microgrid is a small power grid with defined boundaries which can
operate both when connected to the larger electric grid and as an
“island” when there’s an interruption on the main grid. It draws on
distributed energy resources (DERs), such as solar power, to serve
customers within the microgrid footprint. These benefits extend to
surrounding communities through better access to food, supplies, and
public services.

“The importance of grid security will only continue to grow along with
our increasing reliance on electricity,” said Anne Pramaggiore,
president and CEO, ComEd. “This microgrid demonstration project will
provide critical learnings on how to protect against and recover from
disruptive events, including extreme weather, as well as physical or
cyber-attacks. We’re glad to receive approval from the Illinois Commerce
Commission and funding support from the DOE to move this important
project forward and gain the valuable insights that it will bring to us,
the state and the nation.”

“The new microgrid project will connect with an existing microgrid on
the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology, creating one of the
most advanced clustered urban microgrids in the United States,” said Joe
Svachula, vice president, Engineering and Smart Grid Technology, ComEd.
“By connecting with the IIT microgrid, we’ll learn how to integrate
microgrids with renewable energy resources and how to maximize the value
of the interaction between two microgrids. It’s an important step
forward in our effort to develop a more secure, resilient and reliable
distribution system in the future.”

The demonstration microgrid project will be located within the
Bronzeville neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, in an area bounded
from 33rd Street to the North, 38th Street to the South, State Street to
the West, and South Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Drive to the East.
Bronzeville was selected following a comprehensive study to evaluate
locations where a microgrid could be located. The study developed an
overall resiliency metric for small sections of ComEd’s northern
Illinois service territory and identified locations where a microgrid
could best address both security and resiliency, with a focus on public
good. The project will serve an area that includes 10 facilities
providing critical services, including the Chicago Public Safety
Headquarters, the De La Salle Institute and the Math & Science Academy,
a library, public works buildings, restaurants, health clinics, public
transportation, educational facilities, and churches.

“The microgrid project complements Bronzeville’s long history of
innovation,” said Alderman Pat Dowell. “Our vision for our historic
community is centered on sustainability and accelerating the adoption of
smart technology and infrastructure. Grid security and support for
renewable energy sources are essential to realizing this vision and
that’s what the microgrid will bring. The Bronzeville community looks
forward to continuing a robust civic engagement process as we build out
the components of the microgrid.”

The project builds upon ComEd’s smart grid platform and a continuous
effort to advance the design and performance of the electric system
serving northern Illinois. Phase I of the project will include 2.5 MW of
load and require reconfiguration of an existing feeder, and installation
of battery storage and solar PV. It will directly serve approximately
490 customers. Phase II of the project will add approximately 570
customers and an additional 4.5 MW of load and 7 MW of DERs, enough to
meet the peak electricity demand of customers within the microgrid
footprint and maintain service when the microgrid is islanded from
ComEd’s grid. The completed project will serve approximately 1,060
residential, commercial, and small industrial customers.

The project will allow ComEd to take full advantage of work funded by
two grants awarded by the DOE. This work includes developing and testing
a microgrid controller that will control the cluster of the Bronzeville
microgrid and the microgrid at IIT. A second DOE grant is focused on
studying how large amounts of solar PV and batteries can be integrated
into a microgrid.

The microgrid is expected to be completed in 2019 and its performance
and impact, including a cost benefit analysis, will be studied over
approximately 10 years. A broad range of metrics have been established
to evaluate the project and its ability to positively impact the
resilience of the energy system, the Bronzeville community and critical
infrastructure.

The microgrid will be a key component of ComEd’s Community of the Future
Initiative in Bronzeville, where it’s collaborating with residents to
identify needs and opportunities to leverage smart grid technology and
related services. Technology pilots planned or underway include an
electric vehicle transportation service, off-grid wind and solar LED
streetlights, outdoor interactive digital display technology providing
community news, emergency alerts, way finding and free Wi-Fi. ComEd is
currently conducting an Ideathon that exposes Bronzeville high school
students to smart city and smart grid technologies and supports the
development of skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
(STEM). Students will present final projects in April to a panel of
judges and the teams will have the opportunity to win cash prizes up to
$2,000.

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon
Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy
provider, with approximately 10 million customers. ComEd provides
service to approximately four million customers across northern
Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population.For more
information visit ComEd.com,
and connect with the company on Facebook,
Twitter
and YouTube.